Peppermint Divinity Sugar Cookie Bars

You guys, these are good. And I mean really good. This is one of those days where I really just have to toot my own horn and give myself a couple pats on the back. You need to make these, and when you do, pat yourself on the back while you eat one, two, a few....

If you haven't heard of divinity before, it's a traditional southern candy that you find at old bakeries and fudge shops. You usually find divinity filled with chopped pecans and eaten as a candy, but i've changed it up a little bit today. The texture is in between marshmallow and fluffy frosting, which makes it absolutely perfect for topping sugar cookies.

The cookie dough used for this is buttery and flaky, and very thick. It isn't super sweet, it's like a sweeter/thicker version of a pie crust, and oh so yummy. You bake the cookies while you make the divinity candy, and by the time your candy is done, take the cookies out and top them with their fluffy sugary fate. Sprinkle with peppermint candies and christmas sprinkles, and you've got the perfect treat to eat with coffee.

Peppermint Divinity Sugar Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 TB baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. vanilla, divided
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup plus 2 TB water, divided
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup chopped candy cane flavored hershey kisses
• 1/4 cup crushed candy canes
• red sprinkles

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving about 3 inches excess going up the sides of the pan. You can use a 13x9 pan to make 32 thin bars, or use a 9x9 square like I did to get 20 thicker bars. The thickness is great because the cookie stays soft. That's all up to you and what you've got. 
2. Cream the butter with 1 cup of the sugar, then add 1 tsp. vanilla, 2 TB water, flour, salt and baking powder. Mix until the mixture hold a ball shape and can be molded. 
3. Press the sugar cookie dough evenly into the baking pan. You can use a spatula to press into the corners and make sure the dough is pressed very evenly. Put the dough into the oven. 
4. While the dough is baking, put the 1/4 cup water, remaining 1 cup of sugar, and 1/4 cup corn syrup into a saucepan. Stir only until the sugar is dissolved. Let the mixture boil for about 5 minutes on medium high heat. if you have a candy thermometer, use it now and cook the mixture to 250 degrees. If you do not have a thermometer, you will need a cup of ice water. Test a small spoonful of the syrup by pouring it into the ice water. We want the syrup to form into a ball, but still be malleable. This is called the hard ball stage. If the mixture dissolves or is in a very melty ball, continue to cook the syrup until the hard ball stage. If the sugar instantly hardens in the water, it is past the hard ball stage but can still be used, as long as it has not begun to change color. 
5. In your stand mixer, beat the egg whites until they reach soft peaks. With the mixer still running, slowly pour the syrup into the egg whites. Pour all of the syrup in, add the remaining teaspoon of vanilla, and beat until the mixture reaches stiff peaks. 
6. Check the cookie, after about 10-15 minutes of baking they should be turning golden at the edges, this is perfect! You want this to be slightly undercooked. 
7. Spread your divinity candy evenly over the cookie using a spatula. 
8. Sprinkle the christmas candies evenly over the divinity, and place the baking pan in the fridge to set. 
9. After about 30 minutes in the fridge, take the pan out. Pull up on the foil/parchment to loosen, then lift the entire cookie out of the pan. Slice as many servings as you would like. 

   

   After pulling the foil off the sides. 

   
   

   

   Lovely layered divinity bars!